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@robertnyman

Preaching: Google is blind!

Published on Monday, November 20, 2006

I thought I’d take on a slightly different approach with this post. I mean, all bloggers try to write about facts, rant or go to other lengths to get their message through. Therefore, in true TV preacher style (imagine someone with James Brown’s personality), let me tell you about Google:

There was a small notice in the last page of Computer Sweden, something like;

Google doesnÃ¢â‚¬â„¢t like the usage of the word Ã¢â‚¬Å“googleÃ¢â‚¬Â or Ã¢â‚¬Å“googlaÃ¢â‚¬Â (Swedish version) when the word is used to describe a search. It has to be written Ã¢â‚¬Å“GoogleÃ¢â‚¬Â, with a capital letter.

Ok, I understand the fun part in your post but the message is unmistakable. I find the religious idolization of Google a little alarming. Google is yet another company driven by the same values as any other company, this is especially noticeable now.

Today Google is collecting and indexing the data and if they continue in this pace tomorrow they will be the kings of all historical data. At that stage, it doesnÃ¢â‚¬â„¢t take more than one profit hungry group to possess this data. The power that comes with it can easily be abused in the wrong hands.

To sum it all…

Google forbids any other use of its name other than the Ã¢â‚¬Å“right wayÃ¢â‚¬Â and everybody should follow strict guidelines.

This pattern can be observed in a real religion. Islam; Allah or the prophet can not be depicted and there are strict guidelines in how to live.

Valid points about all data being collected, be it Google or any other company. I guess only the future can tell if it has been good or if it has hurt the world.

I find the religious idolization of Google a little alarming.

That is definitely not the point with this post. If anything, it's mocking standardistas, web developers etc for too much idolization and vorshipping of companies (just look at some Apple or Microsoft fanbys and what lenghts they go to to defend their favorite company). Maybe it also has a touch of making fun of some SEO optimizers…

Another point, though, is just to sell in the idea of semantic code that isn't dependent on JavaScript, for both accessibility and SEO reasons, in a fun way.

I guess only the future can tell if it has been good or if it has hurt the world.

Today the basic idea for search engines to collect data is good cause. But tomorrow, it may easily fall into abusive hands.

I have heard rumours that Google is collaborating with CIA today…both parts do not deny this rumour. And as you know, CIA has admitted that they were involved in domestic politics in democratic nations, such as Chile in the 70's.

No one can confirm that public data isn't being abused already…

…no, I am not dark in mind or paranoid, but I can not help questioning stuff. 🙂

Google forbids any other use of its name other than the Ã¢â‚¬Å“right wayÃ¢â‚¬Â and everybody should follow strict guidelines.

This pattern can be observed in a real religion. Islam; Allah or the prophet can not be depicted and there are strict guidelines in how to live.

Sorry, Hakan Bilgin, but "Google" is an asset that happens to be a name. There IS a right way to use it. For example, it's SkyTel, not skytell, or Skytel, or sky tell, or any variation you can think of IF by SkyTel you mean the paging company. Heck, it's George W. Bush, not George Bush, if you want it clear you're speaking of the president that was elected to office in 2004, not the one that was elected to office in 1988.

In English capitalization is an important characteristic. The poems of E. E. Cummings illustrate as much. It's bad form to write comments or send e-mails in all capital letters. And one can even argue that nowadays the word google, without the capital G, is a verb meaning, "to use a search engine to find something on the Internet." And although it implies that one would be using the Google search engine, no one, except maybe Microsoft, would be upset if it was found out that one used Internet Explorer to google the item in question.